Thought for the day banner

Jo Leeds1 
Joanna Leeds

“Come awaken your people, come awaken your city, God of revival.”
 
At St Stephen’s we have journeyed through Thy Kingdom Come where we have prayed for the Holy Spirit to have his way in us and in the lives those around us. I confess I felt somewhat numb in the lead up to this special week. I am usually fully engaged in the meaning of praying for God’s kingdom to come, yet even with the help of my Thy Kingdom Come app I haven’t sensed an outpouring of God’s Spirit in my day to day life. I thought of the Psalmist who asks God for revival: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Psalm 85:6.
 
There are multiple reasons as to why I haven’t felt connected to God in the way I usually do, but instead of focusing on those I have been asking him to speak to me in the way he often does: through song. I was reminded of the song, ‘God of Revival’, which speaks of the unmatched breakthrough power of God, through whom all things are possible. The writer of this song explains that “revival is a state of the heart that is awakened to who God is and his kingdom.” As I listened to this song and prayed my heart and mind became more aligned with God and I no longer felt numb but “awakened” in the way he describes.
 
I want to encourage us that if we feel disconnected from our source, we can trust with absolute certainty that God is all powerful, he is good, and he is who he says he is. It is through praising him and declaring these truths that we can discover breakthrough in our lives. I pray that we would all have unshakable faith in the God of revival and we would know that praising him is powerful and changes everything.
 
Prayer:  God you are supreme and more powerful than we could ever imagine. We pray that we would know and declare your power and goodness every day of our lives. Amen.
 
Prayer Request:  For all those experiencing stress at home, especially where there may be abuse or violence, and for social workers and police working with coronavirus restrictions.